The lantern-lit cobblestone streets of Izamal were quiet and empty, save for the clop clop of the occasional horse-drawn carriage. This was in sharp contrast to the hustle and bustle of Mérida, the Yucatan capital city I’d left that morning. As I wandered through the picturesque colonial streets, it was easy to see why the Mexican government has designated Izamal a pueblo magico. With all of its buildings painted a uniform hue of yellow (its nickname is La Ciudad Amarilla, or the Yellow City) and its history as a religious center for both the ancient Mayans and the Spanish, Izamal is certainly enchanting. Continue Reading…

Located about 1.5 hours from the capital Mérida, Chichen Itza is the biggest tourist attraction in Yucatan and one of the only things I was familiar with in the region before booking my trip. Its most famous pyramid, named Kukulkan, is one of the new seven wonders of the world – right up there with Machu Picchu, the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China and the Colosseum in Rome (the only other one I’ve seen in person). Continue Reading…